La Beau Vive Boheme
by AngelRose7
Summary: Post Rent movieverse Nothing's Mine


**LE BEAU VIVE BOHEME**

Angel followed Roger down the street towards the hole that called itself the Cat Scratch Club & wished tonight (as she did every night), that they all didn't have to go through this. She wished she could find a way to 'show' her friends that they need not worry; Angel would have called herself 'him' before she'd have let anything happen to Mimi on that walk to & from the loft they now all called 'home'.

Angel only left 'home' either by Collins' side or to watch over Mimi & whomever's turn it was to walk her home. Actually, it wasn't so much the walk that worried Angel; (she'd lost count of the stop lights she'd changed or the trash cans she'd willed to roll between Mimi & some creep who'd tried to follow her home intent on trying his luck); what REALLY worried Angel was what she couldn't control, namely that after a low day old demons would draw Mimi back to 'the power of the powder' figuring she had nothing left to lose.

Tonight Angel watched on with a more relaxed air though; tonight Mimi would be greeted by the only addictive drug she ever truly needed, Roger's warm, loving, protective embrace. Tonight neither of her beloved friends would give in. One more (not so) little victory for love. With a wistful smile on her face, Angel 'escorted' Roger through the door & then wanting to give the couple some privacy (even though they couldn't see her of course), she willed herself back to the warmth of Collins' side.

Willing her spirit from place to place was still exhausting for Angel, she'd been 'told' it would get easier with practice but she really wasn't sure she believed it yet. Her soul lightened as ever when she was back in the loft. Mark was the first of her friends she checked in on. He was at his most content & most frustrated, cutting film from his latest project. The projector light was on beside him & Angel just couldn't resist flickering on the screen. Mark merely looked up & smiled; it irked Angel just a little that her friends no longer got spooked when they felt her presence. The initial looks on their faces had been fun. Still at least they still wanted her around or else she wouldn't have been able to stay.

Then she heard Maureen's voice call her name:

"Angel honey, get your invisible butt in here & get this 'wife' of mine to relax; she's been buried in law book for the past 3 damn hours!" her friend whined in typical Maureen style.

Joanne sighed over-dramatically, just as much of a diva in her own way (not that she would EVER have admitted it):

"Oh for God's sake Maureen; go down to the performance space or something! Angel must have had enough of your ego in this life, never mind making her put up with it in the next one as well!"

"Aww 'pookie' I'm sorry; I'm just worried about you that's all. You're working too hard!" Maureen sighed.

Joanne sighed too:

"I need to get these exams, become a partner, help raise the money to buy us all the building, you know that baby; 2 more months & we can have the weekend in Providence, I promise!"

Maureen humphed & flounced out of the room, but before both she & Angel could go & supervise Collins making dinner the phone rang. Collins turned to her:

"Maureen, that'll be the lovebirds, throw down the keys & then set the table will you?"

Maureen stomped over to the window, but her own troubles vanished instantly as she looked down: "Collins, Mark, Joanne, Rodger's carrying Mimi!"

In a split second her partner & friends were by her side.

"I'll go help him!" Mark disappeared down the stairs at the speed of light.

"Damn Cat Scratch club; we HAVE to get her out of there!" Joanne sighed angrily, appearing from Mimi & Roger's room with a pillow & quilt & made up the sofa.

"I'll get the door." Maureen said taking up position.

"Thank God I made tomato soup; she likes that!" Collins frowned. He poured them all a mug of soup & put a straw in Mimi's.

With the air of an all too well practiced routine Maureen had the door open before Roger could even knock. By now Mimi was in Mark's arms.

"She did two dances again!" Roger's anger was clear.

"We need the money Baby!" Mimi almost whispered.

"Not THAT badly we don't!" Roger snarled.

Collins appeared carrying a tray: "You two do your fighting when you've eaten, I HATE cold soup!"

By now Mark had laid Mimi on the sofa.


End file.
